Tom Searls, a longtime Charleston Gazette reporter who covered subjects from state government to small-town corruption, was found dead at his Kanawha City residence on Thursday afternoon. He was 54.
Tom Searls, a longtime Charleston Gazette reporter who covered subjects from state government to small-town corruption, was found dead at his Kanawha City residence on Thursday afternoon. He was 54.
Searls was a savvy political observer and a first-rate reporter, said Jim Haught, the Gazette's editor. "He loved politics and the factional conniving that occurs behind the scenes. He was cynical but eminently likable," Haught said.
"He was an old-fashioned reporter and excellent newsman," said Gazette publisher Elizabeth Chilton. "He really went after things, and people respected what he wrote."
"Tom Searls was a reporter's reporter," said Sen. Robert C. Byrd in a statement. "Tom really knew how to dig out a story, and the journalism awards he picked up along his way were richly deserved. I always enjoyed our conversations together, and I am saddened to learn of his passing. The Gazette, and most important the people of West Virginia, have lost a talented and valuable voice in the public forum. West Virginia has lost one of its finest."
In 2000, Searls won the national Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting for a series of stories about a man who was beaten by drunken State Police troopers after he complained about an all-night party.
His colleagues found Searls a man of extremes - sometimes irascible, other times considerate and endearing.
"Tom liked to be argumentative for argument's sake, but to a person, I think everyone who came out of a heated interview with Tom was surprised the next day to see how fair and equitable the news article turned out," said Gazette reporter Phil Kabler, Searls' Statehouse bureau colleague.
Searls grew up in Marmet - he proudly referred to Marmet residents as "Marmetians" - and graduated from East Bank High School.
He graduated from Marshall University and served as Marshall's student body president.
Tom Searls, a longtime Charleston Gazette reporter who covered subjects from state government to small-town corruption, was found dead at his Kanawha City residence on Thursday afternoon. He was 54.
Searls was a savvy political observer and a first-rate reporter, said Jim Haught, the Gazette's editor. "He loved politics and the factional conniving that occurs behind the scenes. He was cynical but eminently likable," Haught said.
"He was an old-fashioned reporter and excellent newsman," said Gazette publisher Elizabeth Chilton. "He really went after things, and people respected what he wrote."
"Tom Searls was a reporter's reporter," said Sen. Robert C. Byrd in a statement. "Tom really knew how to dig out a story, and the journalism awards he picked up along his way were richly deserved. I always enjoyed our conversations together, and I am saddened to learn of his passing. The Gazette, and most important the people of West Virginia, have lost a talented and valuable voice in the public forum. West Virginia has lost one of its finest."
In 2000, Searls won the national Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting for a series of stories about a man who was beaten by drunken State Police troopers after he complained about an all-night party.
His colleagues found Searls a man of extremes - sometimes irascible, other times considerate and endearing.
"Tom liked to be argumentative for argument's sake, but to a person, I think everyone who came out of a heated interview with Tom was surprised the next day to see how fair and equitable the news article turned out," said Gazette reporter Phil Kabler, Searls' Statehouse bureau colleague.
Searls grew up in Marmet - he proudly referred to Marmet residents as "Marmetians" - and graduated from East Bank High School.
He graduated from Marshall University and served as Marshall's student body president.
A fierce Marshall fan, Searls was not shy about telling people that his actual name was Glenn Thomas Searls, and he was named after Marshall "Little Sleepy" Glenn, a basketball star and football coach at West Virginia University.
Searls came to the Gazette in 1991, starting as a police reporter, taking a turn as night editor, and then moving over to the Capitol.
"He was gruff, he was tough, he wouldn't let you get by with anything when he was working on a story," said Lara Ramsburg, spokeswoman for Gov. Joe Manchin. "But he was also one of the most original and funniest people I know and he was very kind to me when we weren't in our reporter/spokeswoman roles."
"He knew more about West Virginia political history than anyone I've ever known," said David White, a local lawyer and friend since college.
"He was gruff and opinionated," White said. "He was a passionate liberal on most social issues and would debate it with you as long as you liked. He liked Budweisers and Camel Lights and doughnuts and hot dogs from Sam's."
Before starting at the Gazette, Searls worked for several newspapers in West Virginia, including stops in Beckley, Morgantown, Bluefield and Welch, as well as Memphis and Johnson City, Tenn. He was the Morgantown correspondent for United Press International.
As a boy, Searls sold papers for the West Virginia Hillbilly and passed papers for the Gazette, recalled his brother, Andrew Searls.
Searls is survived by his father, mother, sister and brothers, among other relatives. Funeral arrangements are pending.
- FROM STAFF REPORTS
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Tom was a bit offbeat, but aren't we all? But he was quite talented.
Tom left the Press a couple months after I arrived, but I will always remember the kind way he treated me that first day. He continued to be that way for the few months I worked with him and the one time I saw him a few years ago when he stopped by the Press for a visit.
Thanks again, Tom.